Photo: Fair Transport

We recently posted about the sinking of the cargo schooner De Gallant early Tuesday morning, 22 nautical miles north of the Bahamas island of Great Inagua, with eight sailors on board. Six of the crew were rescued from life rafts by the US Coast Guard, which began search and rescue operations to locate the two female crew members who were missing.

Yesterday, the Coast Guard announced that it had suspended its search for the two missing mariners. Since the initial report, rescue crews searched by air and sea for approximately 44 combined hours and covered more than 3,700 square miles.

“It is with heavy hearts we offer our sincere condolences to the families and crew that lost these two mariners,” said Cmdr. Lindsey Seniuk, Coast Guard Seventh District command center search and rescue mission coordinator. “When we send our rescue crews out, it is with great hope we can bring people home safely, which is why suspending this case is one of the hardest decisions our personnel make. We are grateful we were able to bring home the six survivors and thankful for the assistance of our partners in the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.”